General Information
Aims
We aim to offer all pupils a positive language learning experience. Through the skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing, we aim to enhance students' ability to communicate with others in a foreign language, to enable them to express with confidence their thoughts, feelings and ideas, and to arm them with the knowledge of how language works. We attempt to foster cultural awareness and to assist students to view themselves as part of wider European and global communities. We encourage learner independence and co-operation with others. We also highlight to students the importance of their language skills in the world of work.
Courses
French is taught from P1 to P7 in Broughton's cluster primaries and is delivered by staff in the cluster schools. Pupils in Ferryhill and Granton primaries also learn Spanish from P5 and pupils in Flora Stevenson's and Stockbridge Primaries learn Mandarin from P5. Broughton cluster schools work closely together and follow a common programme designed in line with a Curriculum for Excellence in order to ensure continuity and progression in learning from primary to secondary school. Pupils study French in S1 and S2. In S1 they also learn Spanish through an Interdisciplinary Course called "Enterprising Edinburgh", which combines language learning with Business and IT Skills. In S2 students also learn Mandarin. (See section below).
At the end of S2 students can choose which language(s) they would like to study over S3 and S4. They can choose from the following combinations:
- French only
- Spanish only
- French and Spanish
- French and Mandarin
- Spanish and Mandarin
- French, Spanish and Mandarin
- British Sign Language - new from 2019
In S4 students will be presented for one of the new qualifications in their chosen language(s): National 3, National 4, National 5.
A small number of students are presented for Languages for Life and Work in S3. This group award combines language learning with employability skills. Students participate in a business partnership as a feature of this award. Since 2014 students have worked with the Hilton Hotel at Edinburgh Airport, and with the Balmoral Hotel in the city centre.
After S4 students can progress to National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher courses in all languages. (French, Spanish, Mandarin)
- Beginners Italian is offered in S5/6 at National 4 and National 5 levels.
- Beginners Spanish is offered in S5/6 at National 5 and Higher levels.
- GCSE Polish and Arabic are offered to native speakers of these languages in S4 to S6.
The Scottish Languages Baccalaureate
The Scottish Languages Baccalaureate has been offered at Broughton since 2010. Students interested in this qualification must be studying 2 Advanced Highers and 1 Higher in any 3 languages, one of which should be English. Students are required to undertake a skills based Interdisciplinary Project where their languages should be directly linked to an area of interest beyond the school setting. Students may wish to work towards the stand-alone Interdisciplinary Project unit as a means of enhancing their employability skills. Please visit: www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/35857.html.
Mandarin
This session the following options are available for studying Mandarin:
- All S2 classes will be offered a block of Mandarin during the year. Students will learn basic personal language and will also learn about aspects of Chinese culture including festivals, food and music.
- A group of students choose Mandarin as an option choice in S3.
- Senior students attend Mandarin classes and will work towards a range of qualifications.
- Native speakers of Mandarin are offered a range of qualifications.
- The rota for this session, 2022-23 for S2 Mandarin is available here
Homework
Please click on the link below to find out more about homework in the Modern Languages department.
Staff
- Mrs Pamela Tosh - Curriculum Leader, and teacher of French, Spanish and Higher/Advanced Higher Bilingual Programme (Room 4)
- Ms Madison Nimmo - Teacher of French and Spanish (Room 7)
- Mrs Inma Aspron Garcia - Teacher of French, Spanish, Italian and National 5 Bilingual Programme (Room 3)
- Mr Kenny McLaren - Teacher of French and Spanish (Room 6)
- Mrs Sonja Fedrizzi - Teacher of French (Room 1) - on maternity leave
- Ms Oceane Maes - Teacher of French and Spanish (Room 2)
- Ms Anna Mouriere - Teacher of Frencha nd Spanish (Room 2)
- Mr Chun Huang - Teacher of Mandarin and Mandarin Bilingual Programme (Room 5)
- Ms Sonja Fedrizzi - Teacher of French, Spanish and German (Room 1/Room 3)
- Mrs J Chrumka - Teacher of BSL (various classrooms)
- Ms Alicja Dyrak - Teacher of Polish
- Mr W Abdou - Teacher of Arabic
Prelim Study Session
Revision/study sessions will be held after school for students doing Higher and National 5 French and/or Spanish. Please come along for extra revision to help you with your prelims and beyond. We hope to see you there. Details are here.
Useful Websites
National 3, 4 & 5 French and Spanish
- http://www.linguascope.com
(use the username and password your teacher gave you - French and Spanish)
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/learning/bitesize/standard/
(good practice in reading and listening and tips for speaking and writing)
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/spanish/
(based on English exam system but some good practice activities)
- http://www.quia.com/shared/french
(games to practise basic topics)
- http://www.quia.com/shared/spanish
(games to practise basic topics)
- http://www.livres-a-gogo.be
(book reviews written in French by high school pupils)
- http://www.allocine.fr
(watch movie clips in French)
- http://www.sensocine.com
(watch movie clips in Spanish)
- http://www.languagesonline.org.uk
(games and other interactive activities to practice basic topics - French and Spanish)
- http://www.lemonde.fr
(on-line daily newspaper - France)
- http://www.elmundo.es
(on-line daily newspaper - Spain)
- http://www.canalplus.fr
(TV channel - France)
- http://www.tf1.fr
(TV channel - France)
- http://www.rtve.es
(TV - Spain)
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/french
- http://www.quizlet.com
Higher/Advanced Higher French and Spanish
- http://www.lemonde.fr
(on-line daily newspaper - France)
- http://www.elmundo.es
(on-line daily newspaper - Spain)
- http://www.canalplus.fr
(TV channel - France)
- http://www.tf1.fr
(TV channel - France)
- http://www.rtve.es
(TV - Spain)
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/french
- http://www.scholar.hw.ac.uk
- Microsoft Teams - for class project resources
PSD
Each year senior students volunteer as classroom assistants in their PSD time. Students can assist in junior classes or help teachers outwith class time. They can also choose to be Language Ambassadors in our local primary schools.
News & Events
Talking Performance Exams 2018
Information on the Talking Performance Exams which are taking place in March is available now.
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Profil de notre école
Click here to read about Profil de notre école.
Upcoming Events
Barcelona 2017
Information about the trip to Barcelona in 2017 is available now, here.
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Sign Language classes for S1 pupils will begin on 16 January. We are delighted to welcome to Broughton Carole Wallace, a qualified signer, who will run the classes.
Cantabria 2015
Click here to read about the trip to Cantabria, Spain in June 2015. A sound file to accompany the Spanish phrases in the booklet is here.
Recent Events
S3 Mandarin Students' Project
Mr Huang’s S3 Mandarin students have begun a project with the Balmoral Hotel which will enable them to learn valuable employability skills and also use their Mandarin for a practical purpose. You can read more about it here.
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Once again the standard of entry for the French S1 Christmas card competition and S2 Christmas menu was outstanding.
Here are the winning entries for 2015.
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6th Year student, Greta Penny Tobermann went to China on the Scottish Schools’ Immersion Course during this summer, 2015. This is the presentation she made at Assembly last week in school.
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Les Rencontres Théâtrales 2015 drama event was held at Broughton High School on 26 March with participation by a number of primary and secondary schools. Click here to read about the primary events, and here to read about the secondary events.
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The quality of the S1 and S2 French Christmas card and menu respectively was outstanding this year. Here are the winning entries.
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Paris 2014
You can read all about the Paris trip here
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Beijing 2014
Student Neve Mawdsley took part in the 2014 Chinese Bridge Summer Camp. Read her account of the trip here.
You can also see all her photos in the Gallery, here: http://www.broughton.edin.sch.uk/our-school/gallery
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Joyeux Noël
Well done to Emma Leslie and Rosie Breau-Taylor who won the S1 French Christmas cards design competition. Courtney Wilson and Mia Scott won the S2 French menu competition. The entries were judged by Headteacher, Mr Wilson
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Modern Languages Success at Broughton High School Recognised at National Level
The Modern Languages faculty in Broughton High School is at the leading edge of thinking. Great curriculum design which enables a wide range of provision recently prompted Education Scotland to commend our ML Curriculum Leader Mrs Pam Tosh. Mrs Tosh presented a workshop to teachers at a national conference as reported in Times Educational Supplement Scotland on 22 November 2013.
You can read the report here: www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6375286
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Click here for an update on recent events within the Modern Languages department.
S2 Students Visit Tapa Restaurant
On Wednesday 23 October 2013 Mrs Tosh and her S2 Spanish elective groups were lucky enough to have lunch at the Tapa Restaurant in Leith. Read more here.
Rencontres Théatrales
Click here to read about this 2012 event which was hosted here at Broughton HIgh School.
Francois Audrain and Broughton High School
Our Advanced Higher pupils were filmed by Summerhall TV after François Audrain's concert in December. The video is now on their website http://www.summerhall.tv/2013/francois-audrain-la-ville-a-lenvers/
Summerhall TV is an arts news website. They are based at the Summerhall venue by the Meadows and cover arts news and events in Scotland.
Trips Abroad
Santillana Trip - June 2013
For information about the Spanish trip to Santillana in June 2013 please click here.
China Trip - Summer 2013
Click here to read about the Summer trip to Beijing.
Bilingual Programme
There are over 40 languages spoken by pupils at Broughton High school. We think this is pretty amazing.
We make it our aim to celebrate the linguistic diversity of our student body.
Students who are bilingual in Polish, Arabic, French, Spanish, Italian, Mandarin or German will be offered the chance to take classes to prepare them for an extra qualification in these subjects. Students usually sit the exams 1 or 2 years before their other exams.
Classes
French, Spanish and Italian speakers are offered monthly lunch time or after school classes with Modern Languages staff from Broughton High School.
German speakers are offered weekly classes at Fettes College.
Mandarin speakers are offered weekly lunch-time classes with Mr Huang who is the Mandarin teacher at Broughton High School.
Polish speakers are offered monthly after school classes with Ms Katzig, Social Subjects teacher at Broughton High School.
Arabic speakers in S5/6 will be offered, in 2016 for the first time at Broughton, monthly classes with Dr W Abdou.
Qualifications
French, Spanish, Mandarin and Italian speakers will sit National 5 and Higher.
German speakers will sit GCSE and A Level.
Polish and Arabic speakers will sit GCSE.
Contacts
The Bilingual Programme is run by Mrs García. If you would like any further information please contact Mrs García or Mrs Tosh:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (Curriculum Leader, Modern Languages)
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (Modern Languages Teacher and Leader of Bilingual Programme)
At Broughton High School students can choose from 4 languages:
Spanish, French, Mandarin and Italian
- Primary 1- 7 Everyone studies French
- Primary 5-7 Pupils at Ferryhill and Granton PS study Spanish as well as French. Pupils at Flora Stevenson and Stockbridge PS study Mandarin as well as French.
- S1 – All pupils study French as their core language and have a short course in Spanish
- S2 – All pupils study French and their core language and have a short course in Mandarin
- S3 – Pupils choose French or Spanish. Mandarin can be chosen as an elective. British Sign Language can be chosen as an elective. Pupils can choose all four languages.
- S4 – Languages chosen in S3 are carried on in S4
- S5 and 6 – Pupils can continue with French, Spanish and Mandarin to Advanced Higher level. Beginners Italian is offered at National 4 and National 5 levels. French, Spanish and Mandarin can also be chosen as beginners languages.
For more information contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.